Closing the border

 Thanksgiving provided a three day weekend (yes we worked Thursday) and another chance to do a bit more traveling in India. I headed northwest by train to Amritsar with five friends for two days full of adventure. The next several posts will give you an idea of the experiences we had.

After a 30 minute drive we start passing a long line of trucks parked on the side of the road. And I do mean a long line - stretching over a kilometer. They clearly weren't going to make it through the border before it closed for the night and would be sleeping in their trucks tonight. Soon enough we begin to drive past streams of people walking the same direction we're going. There is a hop in their step and everyone looks excited to be going. It is hard not to get caught up in the excitement which is added to by the boys selling little Indian flags and DVDs of the border closing ceremony, popcorn and drink hawkers along with other street food sellers. It feels a bit like we're headed to a movie or a soccer game. For once being a woman means a quicker line through security as there are probably ten times more men then women. Then we slip through a gate towards VIP seating thanks to our foreign passports and head over to the concrete grandstands which flank either side of the road. To our right is an arch topped by a photo of Gandhi and then a packed crowd of Indian men, along with some school children dancing in the street. To the left are the truly VIP seats (seats, not concrete steps), the closed gates (yes plural - one says India and behind it the other says Pakistan) and then you're looking over the border to the Pakistan grandstands and their arch (with the picture of who?).

Not too long after we arrive someone brings out a microphone and gets the crowd to chanting. Mostly it is "Hindistan...Zindiban" (or something close to that, we asked but I've forgotten exactly what we were told). Then some long drawn out wails that sound suspiciously like the South American "Gooooooooolll" herald the start of the show at the Attari Border. First up are two fast marching women who do high kicks as they reach the gate and stand at attention on either side of the road. Then more wailing; two men almost sprint march down the road. When another (more) offical man arrives at the gate sporting the red pleated mohawk hat like the other men, the Indian gate is swung open and the Pakistan one slides to the side. The border is open, and I can't help but think that this is as close as I'll ever get to Pakistan.

Lots of marching, high stepping and stomping follow; Pakistani and Indian soldiers sort of try to stare each other down. Some complicated rituals later, along with a lot of cheering and chanting on both sides of the border, the elaborate flag lowering ceremony begins. Elaborate to ensure that the flags are lowered at exactly the same time so as not to imply one country is better than the other. At times I found myself confused as to if the two populations hate each other, are just putting on a good show, or are friendly. After a handshake between the two main soldiers (perhaps I should say ceremonial soldiers as there was an armed guard from either country staring at the opposite border through this all) the flag is folded and carried away. The two gates slam shut closing the border for the evening and several chains are raised across the road. They are serious about no one crossing at night...or perhaps it is all just to keep the curious tourists (mostly Indian men) from mobbing the gate.

Overall impression - a once in a lifetime sight which I could have never predicted. The chanting and marching were a little overwhelming on both sides of the border, although I must admit the women's section of the Pakistani grandstand was much more colorful than the Indian side. I'm not sure I've bee able to give you an accurate impression of just how crazy the border closing ceremony was. Check out this BBC video clip for a better look. Definitely an experience.